Page 35 of Unspoken Obsession

"It's just after eleven.Do you want to get a late dinner?"

She will turn me down.But I want to push against her boundaries. It's better if she says no tonight. I've got to get underground and find out what the fuck is happening.

"Not tonight. Another time?"

"Where is that you run off to at midnight Cinderella?"

"You know what happens to Cinderella."She raises her brows in a cheeky way. "I might turn into a pumpkin or a toad."

"Mmm.Alright. Keep your secrets. But not for long. One day you'll tell me?—"

She bitesher lower lip while she grins at me.

"One day - maybe."

FRANKIE

Tonight is not going as planned. The card game was good, but halfway through it, I realized that two of my father's men were there and had eyes on me.

That meant I had to be very careful after the game when I went to say hello to Dan at the bar.

I keep a respectful distance from him, not wanting him to show me any affection while those goons are watching. I can't allow them to report anything back to my father.

I pretend I am just chatting to someone who is admiring my playing skills, all the while glancing over his shoulder towards the two men.

But then Dan asks me some very specific questions and my anxiety spikes. Why is he asking me now? What has he found out about me or what is it that is making him push for answers? He has asked me before, but it was subtle. He seems to be trying too hard now. Pushy and harsh.

I need to get out of here.

Besides, it's almost twelve and I need to get home to relieve Clarissa of her babysitting duties.

"Mm. Alright. Keep your secrets. But not for long. One day you will tell me."

He's pushing for answers this evening. I need to play this down and then leave as soon as possible.

"One day - maybe." I bite my lip, smiling, trying to keep the mood light.

Then I pick up my clutch and step away from the bar. "It was lovely to see you, sorry I can't stay longer."

"Can I see you tomorrow?" He asks, and my heart flips. I really want to see him tomorrow. I'm just getting nervous about how many times I've slipped away from the goons my father sends to track me. They are going to catch on soon and it's getting riskier every time I see Dan.

I can't let my father get curious about this man. I don't need my father to catch on that Dan might be the father of my son.

Dan smiles down at me. His blue eyes were brighter tonight, sharp, interested - as though he was searching for something. I glance behind him and see my father's goons, always watching. I hate the fact that they are here. They ruin the moment between us.

"I'll call you." I smile, anxiety churning in my stomach. He nods but doesn't step forward to kiss me goodbye. He's upset that I won't answer his questions.

I turn away from Dan and stride towards the exit. Behind me I see the two men fall in line and start following. I can't help but roll my eyes. My father is unbelievable. I thought that just maybe, maybe after being away for a few years he would've calmed the fuck down on all of this rubbish. But I guess not.

Outside the casino it's chaos. There are security crews visible everywhere. I've got no clue what is happening but from my experience at my father's casino when security floods the area like this, it's bad. It is an enormous risk being here when the place is crawling with them on high alert. I scan the chaos, trying to spot my father's men. Before I saw the black suits and gunsout here, I was considering giving those goons a piece of my mind—but now the best thing for me to do is leave—fast.

It's not worth the trouble it would cause drawing attention to them or me. I just want to get home to my baby.

Climbing into my car I toss my clutch onto the passenger seat. The engine purrs. The casino parking area is brightly lit, and when I pull away, out into the streets of Las Vegas, it doesn't get any less colorful and noisy.

This really is a city that never sleeps. There is always something happening somewhere.

The traffic light turns green, and I speed up, but a drunk man stumbles into the road and knocks the side of my car with a loud thud before he bounces off and lands on his ass in the gutter. I scream, slamming on the brakes. He holds up his hands and mumbles an apology as he staggers back up to his feet. He's going to get himself locked up tonight if he doesn't find his way home. Or worse, flattened like a pancake in the road.

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